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Tuesday, September, 20, 2011 - 11:11:30 AM

Guelph Central Station top pick for new transportation terminal

The city has come up with a name for the inter-modal transportation terminal on Carden Street near the train station that’s to go into limited operation this fall.
City hall’s naming committee is recommending the terminal be called Guelph Central Station, which is one of the names suggested by the public.
It’s a name that is simple to remember and will “work well from an operational standpoint (e.g., next stop – Guelph Central Station),” says a new city staff report.
The report says all of city hall’s partners in the station – GO/Metrolinx, VIA Rail, Greyhound and Guelph Transit – support the recommendation, which was expected to go to city council’s Sept. 26 meeting for approval.
The city’s policy for naming city-owned assets requires public input, and the report lists some of the suggestions made for the terminal’s name.
One suggestion was to call it The GALT, which stands for Guelph and Area Links to Transit.
Some of the other suggestions included The John Galt Transit Terminal, Gateway to Guelph, Carden Street Easi-Go, The Rivers’ Meeting Transit Hub, The Green Miles Terminal and the George A. Sleeman Transportation Centre. (George Sleeman, the City of Guelph’s first mayor, was a brewer who also built an electric streetcar system in Guelph in 1894.)
Other famous Guelph names that were put up include John McCrae, Charles Prior (a man who was with John Galt when Guelph was founded) and Paul Fendley, a hockey player who died in an on-ice accident at Guelph Memorial Gardens.
It was also suggested the terminal be called The Old Quebec Bus Terminal, Guelph Junction, Guelphit – standing for Guelph(trans)it ­– or simply G-transit.
GO Trains are supposed to start using the new terminal, which is still under construction, late this year. However, Guelph Transit buses will keep using St. George’s Square until the spring.

2 Responses to “Guelph Central Station top pick for new transportation terminal”

“Guelph Central Station” is the wrong choice. It’s confusing and it’s dull. Confusing in that Guelph has a Central School, and this “station” is not located near it. Dull in that it could have been a lot more interesting. It could have had an identity and contributed to the story of Guelph. The GALT is the best choice. It’s interesting, and speaks to our heritage and is geographically relevant. Imagine folks saying “Get on at the GALT”, “Meet you at the GALT”. It simply works.

It’s not really an issue that we should crack out the pitchforks over, but I would prefer a positively Guelph name. Guelph Central Station is an obvious reference to Grand Central Station… can we not be a little more original?